And That Kid
by Lisi Naiku
Summary: What would have happened if Van and Raven COULD have grown up together? How much different would they be? R&R Please!
1. Prologue

SDA

Thanks to:  Calli-chan for beta-ing my fic, and her and Lemon Fiend for supporting my writing.  

A/N:  This is my second Zoids fic, and an idea I came up with while talking on the phone with Red Rum…Oiy vey…Please R&R!!! 

Summary:  What would have happened if Raven and Van had happened to grow up together?  This is my version of the story that might have happened.  R&R Please!

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And That Kid

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Prologue:  Attack of the Empire

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"We haven't got to stay here much longer.  As soon as we finish with the survey of the next ruins, we can leave and I'll take you home with me," Major Flyheight said kindly to the young child.

            The kid.  He couldn't even remember his own name.  Wait, did Major just say home?  "Home?  With you?"  

"Major Flyheight!  Success at last!  We've discovered an organoid capsule hidden in the ruin!"

            "Looks like we'll be home sooner than I'd thought.  You'll be able to meet my son Van.  I'm sure you'll get up to all sorts of trouble.  It'll be good for you to have someone your own age to play with."  This man.  He was so kind.  The kid smiled inwardly.  Home.

            "MAJOR!"

            "I'm coming."

            _An organoid capsule?_

***

            As the hours passed, the kid watched contentedly from the open cockpit of the Gustav.  He didn't seem to mind the long wait as the men pulled the organoid capsule from the ruins and packed it up onto a trailer.

            As the preparations were finishing, a barrage of attacks came flying from behind.  As Dan turned around, he saw Imperial Zoids running up to the ruins.  Immediately, Dan jumped into his Command Wolf, Zeke, and started returning fire.

            "Oh!  They must want this thing bad if they're sending this many men!"

Dan just fired, but he didn't take too many Zoids down, especially because of those Iron Kongs.  He would need to make a better move to finish them off.  But could he survive?

            A car suddenly drove up.  A cocky looking Imperial soldier with his cape flapping in the wind was standing as it drove up.  As if one stray bullet couldn't pierce him, he made his demands like he was talking to his own soldiers.  He seemed to have no doubt that he would be victorious.  

            "This is your first and only warning.  We want you to hand over the organoid.  If you choose to ignore this command, we will burn the Wind Colony to the ground.  However, if you want to save your little village, you must hand over the organoid and lay down your weapons."

            Dan supposed that he had reason to be cocky.  The man knew that he was from the Wind Colony.  And that he had family there.  "You swine…" Dan muttered under his breath before issuing his command.  "Very well, we'll hand over the organoid.  But you HAVE to guarantee the safety of the village and our men!"

            Halferd stupidly ignored Dan's command and jumped onto the trailer.

            "Halferd!  No!" the Doctor called.  He was holding the kid.  Good for him.

            "I'm not going to agree to this, we're not going to hand the capsule over to the Empire."  He then continued to pull the lever that would set the organoid free.

            "What do you think you're doing, Halferd?"

            "Better to destroy it than to let them get a hold of it!"

            As the glass cracked on the capsule, Dan knew what he had to do.  If he didn't, the Empire would burn down the Wind Colony, killing all those innocent people.  Killing Van and Maria, his precious children.  Killing the young child he had put into his own care.  He couldn't let that happen.  Never.

            Dan charged forward aimlessly, barely hearing what the doctor said, but he replied, "Take care of Van and Maria for me!  And that kid!"  

He charged, and he destroyed the Zoids.  All of them.  He could feel his life slipping from him, but he didn't care, the children would be safe.  No one would die.  No one of importance, anyway.

***

And that kid… 

The kid couldn't move.  He watched as Major piloted the evil Zoid.  He saw the explosion.  He knew that Major was probably dead. But he might not be…

That kid… 

            He felt a rage of fury fly through him.  He had to kill the evil man who had commanded the Zoids.  Had to.

            But Major might still be alive…What should he do?!

            _Kid…_

            The kid knew what he had to do now.  Major's last remarks had been of taking care of him, he couldn't just leave the man to die if he was still alive.  There was a chance.

            He ran through the hot metallic Zoid parts without flinching at the pain it sent through his legs wherever it touched them.  He had to save Major if he could…if he was alive….

***

A/N:  Did you like it??  R&R!  Please!


	2. Chapter One

SDA

Thanks to:  Calli-chan for reading and beta-ing my fic!  She is the most wonderful and amazing girl this side of paradise and you should all bow down and worship her!  Read her stuff! Her penname is Callisto Nicol. After you read her stuff, review it! Thank you.

A/N:  Doctor Mitsubishi is the doctor/priest dude from the Wind Colony.  The one that Maria likes so much.

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And That Kid

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Chapter One: Sympathies

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"DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!" seven-year-old Van screamed joyfully when he saw the small group of Zoids slowly driving on the horizon.  Despite the distance, he ran towards them, calling to his father.

            Maria smiled; Van had been anticipating his father's return since the day he left.  It had been over a year since they had seen him last, and Maria was excited too.  She ran after Van with just as much vigor, but showing it less.

            By the time she was there she had cramps in her stomach, but she could ignore them for Father.  Climbing the last sand dune, she became alert when she didn't hear Van speaking at all.  When she could see over the dune, she saw Doctor Mitsubishi talking quietly to Van.  Van's eyes were worried and he started talking frantically until the doctor led him into a tent that had been erected on the Gustav.

            Worry filled her soul as she ran to the tent the two had entered.  Before she got very far she noticed something.  There were two trailers attached to the Gustav.  One had what looked like a smashed capsule on it next to a tent, and the other one had a smashed up white Command Wolf on it.  Maria knew that Command Wolf.  It was Zeke!  Was Father all right?  Was he safe?

            The short distance to the tent seemed to last hours and hours as Maria thought of everything that might have happened to Father.  Everything but the worst, because there was no way that could've have happened.  No, he couldn't have died.  He was too good of a pilot to die.

            Maria suddenly remembered something that her mother had said shortly after she had passed away.

~~~

_"Why are you sick, mother?" Maria asked, crying.  "You're too strong to be sick.  You've never been sick before!"_

"Maria."  Her mother held Maria in her arms as her breathing became heavier.  "No one is ever too strong to die.  Everyone is destined to die, whether they are strong or weak. Eventually everyone will die.  It cannot be stopped by strength."  Her breathing became shorter, and there was more time between each breath.  Then it stopped.

~~~

Maria had known since that day that no one would survive simply because they were strong or the best, but she still couldn't let go of the feeling that her father was to good to pass away.  He couldn't be dead.

            "Daddy, wake up!"  Van sobbed into his father's bedding, as Maria entered.  "WAKE UP!"  There was a small child sitting beside their father's bed, across from Van, shuddering like he wanted to cry, but refused to allow himself to do it.

            "What's wrong?" she asked the Doctor Mitsubishi quietly.

            "Come outside," he replied, and motioned her outside of the tent.  "He was nearly killed in the attack, but Raven found him in the cockpit of the Command Wolf.  He was barely alive.  He's in a coma right now and he may survive, even if it still means he's in the coma, but the longer he stays in the coma, the less likely it is for him to wake—" Maria didn't even wait for the doctor to finish his sentence.  She had to see her father.  

            She ran back into the tent and, with all her dignity forgotten, she cried alongside Van.  "Wake up, Father!  You can't die!"  She sobbed without thought.  She didn't want to witness her other parent die as well.  She couldn't.  "Wake up, Father!  You can't die!"

            "Major.  Don't die.  Wake up." The child spoke quietly.  Silent tears fell down his face as well.  _He must be a war orphan Father picked up.  He always did have a soft spot for children._

Maria realized that she had to at least look strong.  If the two boys saw her like this, they would surely give up hope.  So Maria sympathetically reached her arms across the bed and picked up the child and placed him in her lap.  She also pulled Van beside the boy on her lap.  She cried softly and murmured into their ears that father would surely survive.  He was strong.

***

Dan could hear the soft voice of a young woman.  In his head, all he could see was his wife when he had first met her.  But he opened his eyes slowly, and he saw…Maria?  How?  He had been fighting the Imperial soldiers to protect them…was he dreaming?  He should be dead.  No pilot had ever survived an attack like that before.

            "And then Gradian jumped up in his Guizack and defeated the powerful Saber Fang.  Fianar couldn't believe it.  'How could you have defeated me in your damaged Zoid?  And you're such a weak pilot!'  Gradian replied, 'It's not the power of the Zoid, but the determination and understanding of the pilot.'  So Gradian defeated the most powerful mercenary in all of the desert!"

            Van smiled quietly. "I love that story, because it shows that normal people can become the best Zoid pilots without being in a war, or training in any army."

            That was Dan's favorite story for that same reason, as well.  It was the story of how Gradian, a young village boy, defeated Fianar, a powerful mercenary that was on a path of destruction for many years.

            The kid, however, wore a thoughtful look on his face as he mused over the story.  Then his expression hardened.  "I don't like Zoids.  I've never liked Zoids."

            Van shot him a horrible look.  "How can you hate Zoids?  They're the best things in the universe!"

            "No, they're not.  They're evil."

            Before Van could reply, though, Dan interrupted the conversation.  "I thought that sounded beautiful, Maria.  You tell it as well as your mother did."

            All three immediately turned around, shock painted all over their faces.  "DADDY!!"  Van screamed, running over to his bedside.  "You're alive!"  He just burst into tears there, standing beside Dan and crying his heart out.

            "Father!"  Maria had been only an instant slower than Van, and she had the kid beside her, she was holding his hand.  "We didn't know if you were going to make it!  You've been asleep for eight days!  We've all been so worried!"

            "I don't understand.  Where am I?"  Dan WAS confused.

"You're home, Father!  Home!" Maria grinned, and she placed her hand on his head.  "Raven, Van, and I have been so worried!  I'm so glad that you're ok!"  She was crying now, too.

"Raven?"  Who on Zi?

"Me." The kid stepped forward.  "On the way home, I played with black birds, so everyone called me Raven, because they said that was the bird's name."

"But I think Raven is a beautiful name!" Maria announced to Raven.  "It shows that you're brave and you're strong!"

Raven smiled at Maria.  He was such a cute kid.

"Maria's right!  It is a beautiful name!"  However, Dan noticed something that upset him slightly.  Van was watching Raven and Maria with a sullen face.

"Van?  Is something wrong?"

Everyone looked at Van, and Van turned a light shade of pink.  "No.  I'm fine."  But then he stalked out of the room.

***

            Van walked down the hall into his room.  All anyone could ever think about was Raven.  Raven this and Raven that.  Feel bad for Raven, he's lost his memory, and probably his parents!  

Van had felt bad for Raven at first, but then everyone started acting like Raven!  Raven!  Raven!  Who cares about Van and what Van wants?  Poor Raven this and poor Raven that.  And when Daddy had woken,  'Oh, nice to see you too, Van.  Raven!  How are you?  I think you're so wonderful…'

Van kicked his door as hard as he could to knock it open, but the only thing that he got was a pain in his foot and a scream of anger.  He saw Maria look out of their father's door, and start to go to him, but he didn't want her fake sympathies.  He slammed his door shut and locked it.  Tight.

***

A/N:  So? Do you like the end of Chapter One?  Do you like my story???!!!  Please R&R!  THANK YOU!


	3. Chapter Two

SDA

Thanks to:  Calli for beta-ing my fic, again.  Remember, she's the best in the business, so while you worship her go read her fics and leave glowing reviews!

A/N:  Ok, I'm not sure where this is going, so I'll just write…

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And That Kid

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Chapter Two:  Eerie Silences

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            Van opened his eyes groggily and squinted at his window.  Golden sunlight was pouring in.  He rubbed his eyes and stretched.  Van looked down at his wrinkled clothes and tried to remember why he had been sleeping in them.  He looked across the room and saw an empty makeshift bed.  What?

            Then it all came back to him.  That makeshift bed was Raven's.  Yesterday Van had sat alone in his room for hours and hours until the sun had started setting and he must have fallen asleep.  But he also remembered something else.  No one had come to see what was wrong.  But that was ok, Van had only been upset for yesterday, he felt better now.

            Van needed a drink of water, so he unlocked his door and went down into the kitchen to see if there was any.  As he walked down the hall he saw Maria.  The second she saw him she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the kitchen.

            "Van!  What is wrong with you?  You sat in your room all day yesterday.  There were chores that needed to be done and Father still needs to be nursed back to health.  All you did was sulk all day.  And you locked your room so that Raven had to sleep on the couch." 

            What was going on?  Van had a bad day and he gets yelled at?  And he always worked, what was one day of missing a little bit?  It wasn't fair!

            "If there's so much work to be done why couldn't Raven help you?  He's so PERFECT."

            "Van, Raven's not been here for very long, he doesn't know all that needs to be done.  You've lived here long enough to know what needs to be done every day."

            "So?  What are you going to do about it?  I always help with the chores.  Make someone ELSE do it!" Van yelled.  This wasn't fair at all!

            "Van, be quiet.  Raven and Father are still sleeping.  And I do more work than you do around the house, do you see me complaining about it?"

            "You LIKE to work!"

            "Van, I don't like work any more than you do.  But if we don't do it nobody will and we won't have any food to harvest before the winter starts.  Think about that next time you slack.  When Raven and Father are better, it will all be easier to do.  It's been really hard on us since Father left, but it'll get easier soon.  The doctor told me that the army's giving him leave for a few months.  The better you are, the easier it will be for Father to concentrate on healing.  I'm just asking for you not to repeat yesterday."

            "What?  I have a bad day and you scream at me?  It's not fair!"

            "Van, I'm not screaming at you yet.  I just want you to do your share of work around the house.  Now go and get some water from the pump."

            Van glared at Maria and stormed out of the house steaming mad.  He grabbed the water buckets from beside the door and ran to the pump crying.

***

Raven snuck away from the door of the kitchen right before Van ran out of it.  He was upset and he couldn't understand why Van hated him so much.  Raven hadn't done anything to make him so mad.  At least he didn't think that he had.  

            Raven remembered Major telling him that Van was a great kid, but was this the kid that he had been talking about?  That boy was so mean, and he struck out in anger at people for no reason.  Was it Raven's fault?  Was it because Major had brought him home?

            "Maria?  Why does Van hate me?" Raven asked, slipping into the kitchen.

            "Oh!  Raven, I didn't know that you were awake.  Do you want any breakfast?"  Raven's eyes narrowed as Maria turned to the oven.  "I have bread."

            "Why?"

            "Why?  Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day—"  
            "Why does Van hate me?" Raven demanded.  He may be just a kid, but he could tell when someone was avoiding a question he had asked.

            "Oh, Raven, he doesn't hate you, he's just not having a very good week."  Maria's smile was fake, and Raven could tell she wasn't used to lying.  "Why don't you follow Van out to the pump and help him get some water, I'm sure he'll explain everything to you."

            Raven wasn't sure if Van would, but he quietly listened as Maria gave him instructions to the pump and where to get a bucket.  He then ran to the pump to try and catch up with Van.

            When he reached the pump he saw that Van had been coaxing the pump with some water from a bottle and had just gotten it to work.  Water flowed into the two buckets and Van turned the water off just in time so that it didn't overflow.  His eyes were red and he looked mad.

            "Hi, Van," Raven called to the frowning boy, but Van turned to Raven with a glare and a muttered hello.  Raven, however, continued in his attempt to get Van to talk to him.  Raven said, "Maria asked me to help you get some water, you know, to help some with the chores and get used to life here."

            "Oh."  Van replied shortly.  "Just push up and down on the handle until water comes out."  He then took his two buckets of water and started back towards the house.

            Raven glanced down at his one bucket and placed it under the nozzle.  He ended up overflowing the water a lot, and left a wet spot on the sand that quickly evaporated.  He tried to pick up the bucket with one hand like Van had, but he couldn't do it.  He ended up lugging it back to the house, spilling a lot of it over the edges.

            On his way back, Van ran past Raven again with his two buckets without saying anything.  Maria complimented him on getting water and sent him back for more when he got back, passing Van once more.

            On his second trek back to the house when Van passed him, Raven called out 'Hi!' to him, but Van didn't reply.  However, when he passed Van the next time, Van called out 'Hi' back to Raven.  They continued doing that until they had enough water for the whole day.

            While his attempts of talking to Van were successful, afterwards they didn't talk to each other until the next morning when they again retrieved water.  

***

Three days later, Maria noticed that there was always a strange silence around Van and Raven.  They never spoke to each other unless it was strictly necessary, and then only in very polite terms.  It wasn't like they hated each other, more that they just didn't have anything to say to each other.    Maria had never seen something like that happen before.  They spent most of the days working on chores together and they slept in the same room, but they never spoke.  She didn't understand how two people could spend so much time together without speaking a word.

            Maria had always felt that she should take over the mother's role of a family when her father was gone, or in this case bed-ridden.  It had been easy enough with Van because most of his troubles didn't involve people.  But she just didn't know how to solve problems with two people.

A/N: Ok, so it was kind of lame, but I needed to get a point across, and this was the way it ended up.  ^_^  Hope you like it, anyway!  Oh, and if there are any more 'little' notes from my beta-er…just ignore them…R & R, please!


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